I Became the Narrow-Eyed Villain in a Dropped Novel

Chapter 150:

The press conference hall devolved into chaos.

The photographer caught in the explosion had vanished without a trace, and the Black Hand member who had handed the film to the photographer was subdued by the Three Blades and was screaming his head off.

I shook my head as I watched the Black Hand member, who was screaming things like "Karajo is eternal" and "The Empire and its lapdogs will all die," get hit on the back of the head and dragged away.

“What kind of poor management allowed such a vile person to creep in?”

“…….”

Victor, who had approached my side, crumpled his face and chewed on his lips.

My mere presence here was proof of their incompetence, so he must have been inwardly furious.

“…Thank you for your help, Count.”

“Aigo, what’s with the thanks between us.”

“First, wouldn't you like to move to a different location.”

Victor, who had managed to force out his thanks, gestured for us to go elsewhere, almost pleading.

“Me? Why should I?”

Smiling brightly, I waved my right hand at the reporters who were under the Three Blades' escort, or rather, guard.

The eyes of the reporters, who had fallen into a panic right after the explosion, slowly regained their vitality, and their voices grew louder.

“Who's that?”

“It’s Count Valheit, you stupid bastard! Though I don't know why he's here.”

“That explosion just now, did the Count block it? Wasn't he on bad terms with the First Duke?”

“Count! I'd like to ask a question… Let go of me, you bastards! I'm not going to blow up the camera, I just want to ask a question!!”

“This incident, can we view it as an assassination attempt! Please give us a word, Victor sir!”

As a different kind of chaos unfolded, Victor waved his hand in irritation.

I was about to laugh out loud watching the reporters being dragged away in a similar fashion to the Black Hand, but I clamped my mouth shut.

My side hurt too much for that.

Now that the urgent moment had passed, the dull pain was gradually becoming sharper.

“Call a doctor.”

“What trust do I have to be treated by a doctor under the Three Blades' command.”

“I will guarantee it.”

A deep, dignified voice suddenly interjected.

It was Johann Geller.

“Geller does not repay kindness with enmity.”

“Oh, so you do consider it a kindness.”

“Of course. If it weren't for you, Count, not only I, but also the members of the Investigation Team would have been injured.”

I turned my head slightly and saw Hendrick, sitting on the floor with his eyes wide.

Ah.

So he means he can't act rashly because there are other eyes watching.

“It would be rude to doubt you when you've gone that far. Understood.”

“Then, let's really move to….”

“Before that, there are two things I need you to do, Mr. Victor.”

At the words 'need you to do', Victor's expression crumpled even more.

Technically, I didn't really have any authority to order Victor around.

“Speak.”

“First, the Black Hand still remains. About 30 of them. They are near the Royal Palace.”

One of the two Black Hand presences I had sensed in the Royal Palace was rapidly exiting.

He was probably disguised as a servant and was going to report the failure.

“Should I tell you their locations? It’s not a difficult task if I use the detection spell.”

“You can still use mana in that state? Detection isn't exactly a light spell.”

“It's not like I can't, is it?”

At my answer, Victor shook his head as if he was fed up.

I could see him inwardly recoiling, thinking what a persistent bastard.

“We can't have that. Victor, you will handle this.” ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ novelfire(.)net

“Yes.”

Johann smoothly took control of the situation.

It was a calmness that was hard to believe for someone who had almost died just now.

Victor, who had been reluctant, became much more cooperative once the Duke personally stepped in.

“What is the other thing?”

“Tell my bodyguard, who is still at the mansion, to stop dicing up the Three Blades and go help catch the Black Hand.”

“…Understood.”

“Well then, since the urgent matters are dealt with, shall we go do the boring cleanup?”

I ignored the grumbling Victor and smiled brightly at Johann Geller.

It was time to hand him the bill.

* * *

As the doctor, who was sweating profusely, came out of the room, Victor carefully opened his mouth.

“How was it?”

“I performed all the procedures he requested, but… is he even human?”

“Let me give you one piece of advice: don't try to know what you shouldn't know.”

The doctor's eyes wavered upon hearing the warning.

Anyone who worked for the Three Blades knew what happened when they learned something they shouldn't.

“My apologies. I will take my leave.”

“Right. Forget what you saw today.”

He understood.

Anyone who saw a man grinning while bearing injuries that would make it amazing for an ordinary human to even be breathing would doubt if he was really human.

‘Forget human, I doubt if he's even a living creature.’

Victor shook his head, recalling the blood-soaked Count who had blocked the explosion while holding onto his dangling, nearly severed left arm.

Was it fortunate that the tip of the Count's staff, which had appeared after breaking through Ragion and all the guards stationed at the Royal Palace, hadn't been aimed at the First Duke?

“What are you thinking about so hard?”

“…It's nothing.”

“Hmm. I suppose it's not my place to interfere. May I see the Duke now.”

Valheit, changed into clean clothes, smiled unpleasantly.

It was laughable that Victor had told him to meet the First Duke later because he needed treatment first; Valheit looked perfectly fine.

He thought he'd be bedridden for at least a day.

Victor's face deepened with wrinkles; he had planned to use that time as an excuse to evacuate the First Duke to his territory.

“Don't frown. It makes you look old. So, can I see the Duke or not?”

“I will arrange a meeting as soon as we see the Investigation Team off.”

If he had his way, he wanted to scream 'no', but a mere Victor couldn't go back on a promise the Duke had made.

‘I will answer whatever you wish within the day.’

The Duke had said those words, and he'd said them where many people were watching.

It wasn't a problem that could be simply glossed over just because the situation had changed.

He had planned to use his wits and use the treatment as an excuse to keep the Count in bed all day, but the Count was much, much healthier than he had expected.

“Surely the great Johann Geller isn't afraid of a one-armed man, is he? Haha- Ugh.”

Valheit clutched his head with his right hand and grimaced as he laughed.

If even that grimace was an act, that in itself was amazing.

Although covered and hidden by clean clothes, Valheit's left side looked anything but normal, even at a glance.

His left hand hung limp, and his shoulder was visibly trembling.

If he avoided the Count in such a state out of fear, that in itself would likely become a source of ridicule.

“Please wait just a little longer.”

“Yes, yes. I can do that.”

Only after confirming that Valheit had grumbled and gone back into the room did Victor let out a long breath.

“Come out, Hugo.”

A human figure emerged from the shadow stretching along the corridor pillar.

“What do you think?”

“If he intended to harm the Duke, he had several opportunities, didn't he. I believe it's fine.”

Hugo answered calmly.

It was some comfort to Victor that the man who'd had the most contact with the Count had reached a similar conclusion.

“What's the situation outside?”

“As the Count said, the Black Hand was lying in ambush nearby. It seems their plan was to use the confusion from the attack on the Duke to assault the Royal Palace.”

“With just 30 men?”

“It needs more investigation, but it seems they were focused on making a statement. Separately, their equipment was quite excellent.”

They wanted to show that the Black Hand was still alive?

What persistent bastards.

“Don’t let a single one escape. Anything else.”

“Ragion sir has returned. He says he fell into the river when the bridge collapsed.”

“So he survived.”

He wondered how he'd gotten past that mass of armor; so he'd dumped him in the water.

It seemed that even for Ragion, getting out of the water quickly while wearing that armor was impossible.

“The Count's bodyguard has been subdued. He cooperated obediently after confirming it was the Count's order.”

“Our casualties.”

“Most sustained only minor injuries. In the first place, it wasn't a life-or-death battle, just a confrontation. However, one short blade unit is, well… said to be considering retirement.”

He's shattered, in other words.

Victor clicked his tongue at the dismal report.

“Semia captured, Ragion defeated, and now a failure in protection… The Three Blades are in a sorry state.”

“It's fine. You all did your best.”

“…It seems you finished earlier than expected, old man.”

“Yes. Chancellor Hendrick was thoroughly terrified. So I've shown him consideration and let him go rest early.”

Johann Geller approached, maintaining his ramrod-straight posture, and stared at the closed door.

“Is the Count inside.”

“Are you planning to meet him now?”

“Did I not agree to meet him? I must keep my promise.”

An assassination attempt had just been aimed at him, and now he wanted to meet the enemy.

It was hard to tell if this was brave or reckless.

Since he couldn't stop the Duke who had already made up his mind, he had no choice but to take minimum precautions.

“I will go in with you. This is a security matter, so I cannot compromise on this.”

“Alright. It is about time I told you as well.”

“…?”

Before he could properly understand what that meant, Johann opened the door.

Valheit, who had been grimacing, grinned upon seeing Johann.

“You're here early.”

“The Chancellor seemed tired.”

Signaling Hugo to guard the outside, Victor closed the door.

Valheit frowned upon seeing Victor enter with the Duke.

“Are you sure you can trust a man who couldn't even filter out a single assassin?”

“Of course.”

Johann answered without a moment's hesitation.

Whether from the pain or from irritation that Victor still had the Duke's trust, fine wrinkles appeared on Valheit's brow.

“If you say so. However, we will be discussing quite sensitive topics; will that be alright?”

“Of course.”

Another immediate answer.

It seemed Valheit had no intention of arguing further, as he just shrugged his right shoulder.

“Well then….”

“You are probably curious about my relationship with the Grand Duke of Leitche.”

Johann cut Valheit off.

Victor was inwardly relieved.

If he had let the Count blabber on, they would have had to beat around the bush for a long time.

“…I wasn't planning to talk about the Grand Duke of Leitche first, but since you brought it up, shall we address that? Why did you cooperate with him.”

Victor also held his breath at the thorny question.

Even he, known as the First Duke's right-hand man, had not heard the exact reason.

He had merely speculated that they were temporarily cooperating to reclaim the Dukes' rights.

Why had his master, who detested the White Continent, reached such a decision?

His curiosity piqued, Victor maintained his most impassive face and waited for Johann's words.

“Because of the destruction. The world's destruction.”

Huh?

Destruction?

Victor blinked at the sudden, pie-in-the-sky talk.

“Well, well. To think that Raven bastard used that as bait.”

At the Count's reaction, as if he knew what this was about, Victor blinked once more.

‘What is this about?’

* * *

“This damned Imperial bitch….”

Blood spurted from the neck of the man who had been screaming.

His comrade's face turned ashen as he watched the man clutch his throat, gurgling on blood and foam as he writhed.

He wasn't just shocked at the sight of his comrade dying.

He had already prepared for death when he joined the Black Hand and worked under the General.

“Don't worry. He won't die easily. He'll keep breathing for at least several dozen minutes.”

A bright voice fell from above.

It was a voice that even held a hint of innocence, but the appearance of the blood-drenched woman was not so innocent.

“Wh-What do you want?!”

“For all of you to die. Painfully.”

The woman answered in precise Imperial language.

The fact that this was not an empty threat was proven by his comrades, who were groaning and dying around him.

No.

That can't be it.

She probably needed information about the Black Hand.

Especially information about the General.

Fortunately, he had quite a bit of information to trade.

“If you let me live, I'll tell you where the General is… Gyaaaaargh!!”

The man clutched his eyes and collapsed.

His vision, his vision was gone.

When he fumbled at his face, sticky blood coated his hand.

“I told you, didn't I? My goal is for all of you to die? I don't really need information. This is just me blowing off steam!”

The woman laughed cheerfully.

He couldn't see her, but the sound alone made his body shrivel, and he felt like his breath would stop.

“But… if everyone really dies, there will be no one to deliver the message, so I guess I have no choice.”

A cold blade pierced the back of his hand.

While the man screamed, the woman's voice came right up to his ear.

“Tell that ridiculous bastard you call a General. Tell him he'll soon find out that what I'm doing now is just child's play.”

The woman, pausing for a moment, hummed a tune.

Wondering if she was asking if he understood, the man nodded reflexively.

“Tell him the Weapon Demon of Chartra will visit him personally, so he shouldn't even think about dying in one piece. Make sure to tell him.”

The blade that had been embedded in the back of his hand was pulled out.

As the man fumbled around with his hands to escape the basement, he heard the sound of humming behind him.